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Thumbs Up Campaign Charity Donation

Posted on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2014 at 16.54.

Thumbs up for Non League Day’s success as Vanarama donates thousands to Prostate Cancer UK

Commercial vehicle leasing business Vanarama, sponsor of the Vanarama Conference, together with Prostate Cancer UK are thanking football fans for their support, after raising thousands of pounds for the charity on Non League Day 2014.

Vanarama, linked with former Southampton FC and England legend Matt Le Tissier to champion the day, and pledged to make a donation to the charity on behalf of every fan attending a Vanarama ConferenceFixture on Non-League Day.

After a hugely successful broadcast and social media campaign, a total of 38,675 fans attended across Vanarama Conference fixtures, resulting in £7735 being donated to the charity – certainly one in the back of the net for Non-League Day and Prostate Cancer UK!

Non League Day started in 2010. Always scheduled to coincide with an international break, it provides a platform for clubs to promote the importance of affordable volunteer led community football while giving fans across the country the chance to show support for their local non-league side.

To raise the profile of the day Vanarama launched a five day broadcast and social media campaign, #thumbsup4nld. Football celebrities and grass roots fans alike were asked to tweet a picture of themselves putting their ‘thumbs up’ for Non-League Day and encouraging others to get down to their local club to watch the match.

“We are delighted with the success of Non-League Day 2014,” explains Vanarama’s Managing Director, Andy Alderson. “As well as raising vital funds for Prostate Cancer UK, we were overwhelmed with the way the fans engaged with the thumbs up campaign. More than 4,600 unique hashtag tweets and in excess of 30 million timeline deliveries were made for, #thumbsup4nld. Importantly, behind the stats the real warmth, humour and depth of feeling for the Vanarama Conference, evident in the tweets, was heart-warming.

“Encouraging growth in grass roots football is vital to our nation’s game. We were just shy of the all time attendance record for Non-League Day. This is our first year of sponsorship of the Conference, so from a standing start we’re really proud of that. Raising thousands for charity to boot makes it even more worthwhile.”

Mark Bishop, Director of Fundraising, Prostate Cancer UK, said: “Using football as a way of talking to men about a disease that kills one man every hour has proved incredibly powerful. Reaching out through the grassroots game has helped us spread our net further through clubs and supporters. We’re so grateful to the fantastic backing from Vanarama, over a hugely successful weekend. By so generously doubling their donation they are helping us in our quest to save men’s lives.”